Trade Unions and Conditions in Dublin

What are Trade Unions?

• A trade union is an organisation set up to represent the views and interests of workers. Trade unions campaign for improved working conditions, such as better pay and shorter working hours. Unions had existed throughout the nineteenth century.
• Initially, the government and employers viewed trade unions as threatening order and prosperity, leading to their ban in Britain until 1824.
• In 1871, unions were allowed to go on strike, and in 1875, peaceful picketing was legalised. By then, the idea had taken root that workers were better off forming national unions representing everyone working in a particular trade.
• In 1868, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) was established to help different unions collaborate.
• Although Ireland did not experience an Industrial Revolution to the same extent as Britain (apart from Belfast), the development of unions in Britain significantly impacted Ireland.

Characteristics of Irish Trade Unions

Until the late nineteenth century, Irish trade unions had three key characteristics:

• Skilled Workers: The trade unions of this period mainly represented the interests of skilled workers, such as the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners. Skilled workers were better paid and had more job security than unskilled workers.
• Links with Britain: Irish trade unions were often branches of British-based unions, following the directions from their leaders in Britain. This connection ensured that Irish workers' concerns were heard on a broader platform.
• Moderate Policies: Union leaders in Ireland advocated for limited reforms within the existing economic system. They aimed to improve working conditions and wages but did not seek radical societal changes.

Unskilled Workers

• By the 1880s and 1890s, it was evident that trade unions did not adequately represent the largest group of workers—unskilled labourers.
• These workers, including many in large manufacturing factories, dockyards, and construction sites, had no formal training or trade skills.
• Unskilled workers often faced poor working conditions, low wages, and high unemployment rates, especially during economic downturns.

The 'New Unionism'

• By the end of the 1880s, national unions began forming in Britain to represent unskilled workers. Notable examples include the National Union of Dock Labourers in London, which won a significant strike victory in 1889 for better pay.

  • This new wave of unionism, known as 'new unionism', differed from older unions in several ways:
  • They were more radical in their demands and methods, frequently resorting to strikes to achieve their goals.
  • Many leaders of new unions were attracted to socialism's ideas, advocating for broader social reforms and challenging the status quo.

• These British trade unions began to extend their influence into Ireland, highlighting the changing dynamics of labour representation.

Conditions in Dublin

• Dublin lagged behind Belfast in industrial development and economic importance in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
• Dublin was primarily a centre of government administration and commercial services, with its port playing a crucial role in trade. Despite this, Dublin experienced severe social problems typical of industrialised cities.
• The majority of Dublin's working class were unskilled labourers. In 1901, three-quarters of Dublin's 40,000 male labourers were unskilled, working as dockers or carters in poorly paid and casual jobs.
• Secure employment was rare, with only a few companies like Guinness Brewery offering steady jobs. Women often took on low-paid work in their homes or as domestic helpers.
• For many families, life was a cycle of employment and unemployment, with poverty as the only constant.

Housing

• The working classes in Dublin lived in some of the worst slums globally. Many resided in overcrowded tenements near the city centre, with entire families often sharing a single room.
• By 1914, over 20,000 families lived in one-room tenements, accounting for one-third of Dublin's population.
• A government report in 1914 stated that 1,500 of Dublin's 5,000 tenements were unfit for habitation.
• Despite the poor living conditions, tenants had to pay high rents, leading to widespread debt and the constant threat of eviction.

Health

• Poverty severely affected the health of Dublin's tenement dwellers. In 1914, the average Dublin labourer's daily calorie intake was 25% below the minimum requirement.
• Dublin had the highest mortality rate in Ireland, nearly 50% above the national average. Infant mortality rates were also alarmingly high, comparable to the worst slums of Moscow and Calcutta.
• Social issues like crime, alcoholism, and prostitution were rampant, and neither unionist nor Home Rule politicians prioritised these problems.
• In 1911, the Irish Times argued that addressing urban poverty was essential regardless of the political outcomes.

Trade Unions and Politics

In the late nineteenth century, various circumstances favoured the development of a political labour movement in Britain and Ireland. Several key reforms and political shifts contributed to this process.

• Important electoral reforms in 1867 and 1884 significantly expanded the electorate, allowing many workers to vote for the first time.
• These reforms enfranchised a larger portion of the working class, which increased their political influence and the need for political parties to address their concerns.
• In 1888, workers in Britain gained the right to vote in local government elections, including city councils. This reform was crucial in empowering workers to have a say in local governance.
• The same reform was extended to Ireland in 1898 under the Local Government Act, allowing Irish workers to participate in local elections and seek representation.

Political Context and Challenges

• During this period, the Conservative Party generally opposed trade unions and dominated British politics.
• Conservatives feared that the rise of trade unions could lead to restrictive laws limiting their power and influence.
• This opposition created a hostile environment for trade unions, necessitating a push for their own representatives in government.
• The slow approach to reform by the Liberal Party further frustrated workers and trade unionists.
• While the Liberals were more sympathetic to workers' rights than the Conservatives, their gradual and cautious approach often fell short of workers' expectations and demands for more immediate and substantial changes.

Trade Unions in Ireland

• In Ireland, both Home Rule and unionist leaders were typically anti-trade unions. These leaders, often from the middle and upper classes, viewed trade unions as threatening their economic and political interests.
• This opposition made it difficult for trade unions to gain a foothold and influence within Irish politics.
• In the 1899 local government elections, trade union-supported candidates were elected in several Irish cities, including Belfast, Dublin, and Limerick, as well as in smaller towns like Dundalk, Castlebar, and Waterford. In Dublin, 11 trade unionists were elected to the Dublin Corporation.
• However, these trade union councillors struggled to improve workers' conditions, facing significant resistance and limitations in their political power.
• Most of the trade unionists elected in 1899 were defeated in the subsequent elections, highlighting the challenges faced by the labour movement in maintaining political influence.
• Ireland did not have a strong labour movement in the early twentieth century, as trade unions continued to face opposition from established political and economic powers.